Pumping packer



june 3 i924.

' J. A. WOLFE 1496698 PUMPING PAGKER Filed Nov. 2l, 1922 ITN ESSESATTORN EY Patented ,time 3, 1924.

v.Toma A. wonrn, or TULSA, OKLAHOMA..

4P'UlVIPINGI PACKER.

Application `filed. November 21, 1922. Serial No. 602,467.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. Won'rn, a

y citizen of the United States, residing at Tulsa, in the county ofTulsa and State of Oklahoma, have invented a new and useful improvementin Pumping Packers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a pumping packer for use in deep wells, and isespecially adapted for use in oil wells to prevent the es cape of gasaround the tubing, and to facilitate the flow of the oil through thetubing when there is not sul'licient pressure to cause Aa flow throughthe casing.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a packin device whichhas selfcontained means or maintaining'a closure at all times betweenthe tubing and thecasing without depending upon the weight of the pipeor other external means.

Another object of the invention is to provide a reinforcing means toprotect that portion of the packing element which comes in contact withthe casing so as to prevent the same from being torn while it is beinglowered into the wellvor withdrawn therefrom. vit. still further objectof the invention is to construct a packing device of such form that thepressure of the packing element against the casing is responsive to thepressure ofgas in the well and substantially in pro ortion to the same.i

lllsith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists incertain features of construction which will be more fully understoodfrom the following detailed description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing.

lin the drawing Fig. 1 is a vertical section through the well'casing,showing myinvention installed therein.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the invention.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig.. 1.

Fig. 4l is a horizontal section showing a portion of the packing elementwith the grooves therein.

Referring more specically to the drawing, 1 designates the casin of awell, within which is a tubing 2 having a section 3 at its lower endprovided with perforations 4r, through which the oil may pass into thetubing and be carried to the surface.

n carrying out my invention, l provide a section of tubing 5 of theproper length to support the packing device, and connected to the upperand lower portions of the tubing by sleeve couplings 6 and 7. Washers8and 9 surround the section 5 and are held in abutting relation to thesleeves 6 and 7 by means of a pluralityl of rods 10, which* have theirends secured in perforations in the washers and have their -intermediateportions bulged outwardly as indicated at l1 to engage the wall of thecasing.

A su cient number of the rods 10 are used to form a suitable cage toreceive a packing member of'rubber or other pliable material, which, asshown in the drawing, is substantially of mushroom shape and has itsapex 12 fitting around the upper end of the section 5 and secured to thewasher 8 by means of bolts .13 or the like. The lower outer portion 14ofthe packing element is adapted to engage with the inner wall of thecasing, and the intermediate portions 11 of the rods 10 are fitted inthe grooves 15 liush 4 with the peripheral portion thereof, as shown inFigs. 3 and 4;. Within the cage formed by the rods 10, and extendingfrom the washerI 9 upwardly within the mushroom-shaped packing member isa coiled spring 16 which is tensioned so as to press against the innersurface 17 'f the lower portion ltof the packing element and urge thesame into contact with the casing.

When using my improved acker, the s'ame may be inserted in the tu ing 2and properly adjusted before the latter is lowered into the well, andthe spring 16v-will cause the'packer to form a tight closure between thetubing and the well at all times, and it will not b e necessary todepend upon the weight of the tubing above to expand the packer, as isthe case with most of the packers now in use. rFhere is, therefore, noexcessive pressure which may cause injury to the packer, and the rubberpacking element will be protected by the rods 10 while the packer isbeing inserted into or removed from the well, thus preventing injury tothe same and making it possible to use yit over and over again. rlhe'tension of the ,spring f 16 will be sufficient, under ordinaryconditions, to maintain a suitable joint between the packing element andthe casing, and as the gas in thewell filters into the casing and thepressure thereof increases, the same will expand within the lowerportion 14 of the packer element and cause a pressure against the innersurface 17, which will become greater and greater as the pressure of thegas increases, so that the contact of the packing element against thecasing will become firmer in proportion to the pressure of the gas, andthe pressure of the gas which is thus confined will be exerted againstthe oil to force the same to the surface in a manner well known.

It will be understood that the specific features of construction which lhave shown and described merely illustrate one form in which myinvention may be embodied, and that various modifications may be made inthe details thereof within the scope of what is claimed withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of theadvantages thereof.

What is claimed is t l. The combination with a well tubing, of a collarhaving an internal diameter sufficient to receive a section of tubingbut not large enough to pass over the coupling theren of, and a flexiblepacker of mushroom shape secured to the collar and operable by gaspressure in the well to form a tight closure between the tubing andcasing of the well.

2. Thev combination with a well tubing, of a collar having an internaldiameter suflicient to receive a section of tubing but not large enoughto pass over the coupling thereof, a iexible packer of mushroom shape,and means for securing the packer to the collar including bolts passingthrough the collar and the head of the packer parallel to theirlongitudinal axes, said packer being operable by gas pressure in thewell to form a tight closure between the tubing and the 'casing ofthewell.

3. A packer for deep wells comprising a section of tubing, a packingelement of mushroom shape closing the space between the tubing and wellcasing, rigid means for holding the upper portion of said member againstthe tubing, yieldable means normally urging the lower portion of saidmember against the casing, and a metallic cage surrounding the packingelement for preventing injury thereto when moving it into or out of thecasing.

4. A packer for deep wells comprising a section of tubing, a packingelement of pliable material closing the space between the tubing andwell casing, yieldable means normally urging said member against thecasand a metallic cage surrounding said element and fitted flush withthe peripheral portion thereof for preventing injury there-` to whenmoving it into or out of the casing. 5. A packer for deep wellscomprising a section of tubing, a packing element closing the spacebetween the tubing and well casing, rigid means for holding the upperportion of said element against the tubing, yieldable means normallyurging said element against the casing, and a metallic cage surroundingsaid element and fitted in grooves provided in the peripheral portionthereof for preventing injury thereto when moving it into or out of thecasing.

6. The combination with a well tubing, of a collar having an internaldiameter suficient to receive a section of tubing but not large enoughto pass over the coupling there-- of, a flexible packer of mushroomshape secured to the collar with its open end directed toward the bottomof the well, said packer being operable by gas pressure in the well toform a tight closure between the tubing and casing of the well, and acage surrounding the packing element for preventing injury thereto whenmoving it into or out of the casing.

7. A packer for deep wells comprising a section of tubing, a packingelement closing the space between the tubing and well casing, andhaving'an inner surface, yieldable means engaging said inner surface tourge the outer peripheral surface into engagement with the casing, saidinner surface being in communication with the gas in the well andoperable by the pressure thereof to exert 4further pressure of theperipheral portion of the packing element against the casing, and ametallic cage surrounding the packing element and fitted flush with theperipheral portion thereof for preventing injury to the same when beingmoved into or out of the casing.

8. A packer for deep wells comprising a section of tubing, a packingelement adapted to close the space between the tubing and well casing,rigid means for holding the upper portion of said member against thetubing, the lower portion of said element extending downwardly andspaced from the tubing, yieldable means normally urging said lowerportion against 'the casing, the inner surface of said lower portionbeing in contact with the gas in the well and operable by the pressurethereof to urge said lower portion more firmly into contact with thecasing, and a metallic cage surrounding the packing element and havingits intermediate portion fitted in grooves of the peripheral portion ofthe packing element and Hush with the surface thereof for preventinginjury to the same when it is moved into or out of the casing.

9. In a packing device for deep wells, the combination with a section oftubing and the adjacent coupling sleeves, of a pair of washerssurrounding the section of tubing and abutting the sleeves, rodsconnecting the washers and having their intermediate portions outwardlybulged to engage the walls of the well casing, a packing member, andrigid means for securing the packing member to one of the washers, saidpacking member having the bulged portion of the rods neeaeee embeddedtherein and flush with. the peripheral portion thereof.

10. lin a packing device for deep wells, the combination with a sectionof tubing and the adjacent coupling sleeves, of a pair of wash-n erssurrounding the section of tubing and abutting the sleeves, rodsconnecting the washers and having their intermediate portions outwardlybulged to engage the walls of the well casing, a packing member ofmushroom shape having its apex secured to one of the Washers and forminga tight joint with the tubing, the lower portion of the packing memberhaving the bul ed portion of the rodsembedded therein and flush with theouter surface thereof.

l1. lin a packing device for deep wells, the combination with a sectionof tubln and the adjacent coupling sleeves, of a plia le packingelement, means for securing the inner portion of the element to forml atight joint with the tubing, resilient means normally urging the outerportion of the packing element into contact with the well casing, and

reinforcing means embedded in the packing adjacent coupling sleeves,ofaplia le packing element, means for securing the inner portion of theelement to form a tight joint with the tubing, resilient means normallyurging the outer portion of the packing element into contact with thewell casing, and reinforcing means embedded in the packing element andflush with the peripheral surface thereof to protect the same when beingmoved into or out of the casing, said packing element having an interiorsurface in contact with the gas in the well, whereby pressure of thelatter urges the packing element into firmer contact with the easing.

ln testimony, that l claim the fore oing as my own, l have hereto amxedmy slature.

JHN A. WULFE

